New to Feast Festival? Flying solo?
No worries - just look for the Welcome Mat!
For many years, the Welcome Mat - an initiative of Bfriend - has been a warm and welcoming presence at Feast Festival events. Designed to make everyone feel included and comfortable, the program brings together a team of trained LGBTIQA+ volunteers from Bfriend and Feast, who are there to greet you with a smile, offer support, and help you settle in. Whether it’s your first time at a queer event or you’re returning after some time away, the Welcome Mat is here to ensure you feel seen, valued, and connected from the moment you arrive.
Bfriend - a program of Uniting Communities - has proudly supported South Australia’s LGBTIQA+ community for nearly 30 years. As one of the state’s longest-running peer support programs, Bfriend has built a trusted and respected reputation for creating safe, inclusive spaces. We understand that attending a queer event can be a big step - especially for those who are newly exploring their identity or feeling isolated. That’s why the Welcome Mat exists: to make those first steps easier and to help turn what might feel daunting into a celebration of belonging.
Find the Welcome Mat at these events
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Frequently asked questions
The Welcome Mat was created to support people attending Feast events who may be newly identifying, recently out, or visiting from outside the Adelaide metro area. After noticing that some attendees felt anxious, isolated, or unsure of where to start, Feast and Bfriend teamed up to offer a warm, approachable space to land.
The Welcome Mat is a friendly face in the crowd - a place to connect, ask questions, meet others, or just have a casual chat with someone who gets it.
Whether you’re brand new or just appreciate a conversation with a peer, the Welcome Mat is for you.
Artists have the option to invite the Welcome Mat to their events. Once registrations are finalised, we review all the invitations and create a schedule that helps us attend as many events as possible - especially those where we can connect with the most people and provide the most support.
Just look for the Welcome Mat symbol in your Feast guide - that’s your sign we’ll be there!
You can also check out the full list of Welcome Mat events on our event hub.